The Reflection of the Truth
by Tsuiraku Nami
Summary: She was getting married. But...did she want to?


**Disclaimer : You guessed it...the only thing I own is the story line.**

**A/N : This is the first story I'm posting so...sorry if I did anything wrong here. Constructive criticism welcom by all means! **

The Reflection of the Truth.

She sat there at the vanity and looked into the mirror for what seemed the millionth time that hour. She heard a knock at the door and her maid of honor poked her head in.

"You look amazing." Was all she could say. The beautiful bride turned her face back to the mirror. As if on queue, the tears formed in her eyes before smearing her mascara down her cheeks.

"What's the matter? Are you feeling well?" After no reply, the maid of honor, and best friend of this gorgeous bride walked towards her and wrapped a supportive arm around the now weeping bride-to-be.

"I'll bet you're just nervous. I don't blame you. I was too."

With these words, the woman began to wipe the mascara away from her now red cheeks and apply fresh make-up. Her best friend, clad in a beautiful scarlet gown grabbed the hand that was now shakily applying eyeliner. She shook her head as more tears filled the eyes before her.

"I can't do this. It's not right. I just can't."

"Yes you can. He's an amazing guy. He's ev-" She cut her sentence short as this beautiful woman wearing the most amazing wedding dress shook her head.

"I thought I...moved on...but...I still..."

"No. You're just nervous. You love that man out there. You have ever since you were in ninth grade. Now. Let's stop the waterworks here, fix up that make-up, and get this show on the road." She said supportively. That's when the woman sitting across from her finally nodded. She graciously took the tissue handed to her and wiped her eyes. She began reapplying her make-up once again then rose up out of the chair she was placed in. Her maid of honor stood with her and followed her out into the narthax of the church.

"Ah...there you are. The ceremony is starting, dear. We need to get into place." With that, the bride's father took her arm and stood in the designated area. They waited until their queue of "Here Comes the Bride" playing throughout the church from the piano. She gulped. He held tighter. Step one. Step two. Everyone stood. Step four. Step five. People smiled at them. Step seven. Step eight. She looked at her oh too soon to be husband. Step eleven. Step twelve. People snapped pictures. Step fourteen. Step fifteen. They were so close to the altar. Step sixteen. They stopped. She tuned everything out. She was busy fighting back the tears. She heard her father speak. "I and her mother." She faced him. He hugged her one last time before handing her off to the man she was supposedly destined for.

She knew he couldn't see her face behind the veil. That's why she didn't force out a smile. She kept her blank expression upon her face. She was able to glance around the church. She noticed all her friends there. She saw the one person she wished wasn't there. He was ruining her wedding. Her wedding. He shouldn't have been there. She didn't want him there.

Before she knew it, she heard the man in front of her speak out two words that haunted her every nightmare, "I do."

"And do you..." She stopped listening again. How could she. This wasn't right at all. It was suddenly her turn to utter the words that would bind her to this man until death did them part. She found what was left of her now cracking voice.

"I..." she stopped once.  
"I..." she stopped twice.  
"I...I..." she stopped three times.  
"I...can't...I'm sorry." She lifted the huge dress off the ground as she ran towards the door. Everyone who wasn't completely shocked stood and watched her dash out the doors.

_How could I do this? What was I thinking? I never loved him. Who was I kidding? Apparently everybody._

She stopped and looked at her surroundings. A beautiful park. Next to a beautiful lake. She collapsed to her knees. _What _was _I thinking? _She looked out onto the calm waters. _How can you be so calm at a time like this. _She grabbed a rock from beside her and chucked it as hard as she could out into the waters. The ripples spread to the edges of the lake. She stood from her place on the ground. She looked into the waters at her distressed and rippled reflection. _Never perfect. _She looked down at her dress, now dirty with the rim lined with leaves and twigs. _Never. _She pulled off her veil and threw it onto the ground beside her. She knew what she was going to do. She let a tear fall. Step one. Step two. She felt the cool waters on her feet through her strappy white heels. Step four. Step five. The water was tickling her ankles. Step seven. Step eight. Her shins were relieved by the cool waters. Step eleven. Step twelve. Her heels began to sink into the bottom of the lake. Step fourteen. Step fifteen. She heard foot steps behind her. Step sixteen.

"YUMI!"

She stopped. It wasn't who she thought it was going to be. It was him. He'd ruined her wedding. Him. She turned her face to the side and looked at him through the corner of her eye.

"Please. Stop."

"I...can't...I'm sorry."

"Please." She stood there. _He came after me. But where's..._ Her thoughts ceased when she heard the man behind her enter the water as well. He walked gently towards her, rippling and waving the water around her.

"Go away." She was firm. She heard him stop, but continue on anyway. He was right behind her.

"Please." He pleaded with her again.

"Go away." She began sobbing. She fell to her knees. Right there. In the lake. The water was shallow. The water was only up to mid torso as she knelt down in it. She felt the waters shake as he walked around her and knelt in front of her. He'd removed his coat and tie before entering the waters. She continued looking down into the crashing waters. Her tears fell into it.

Suddenly, she felt his arms around her, pulling her into a tight, embracive hug. She was shocked. Only one or two tears remained to fall. Her eyes were open wide while his were closed tight.

He had his own tears to fight back. He failed. That is, until he was shocked as well. She wrapped her arms around his waist. His eyes shot open, as hers slid shut. He tightened his grip on her.

"I...I...Yumi..." He pulled her off him and held her in front of him. She looked into his eyes.

"I...I love you. I always have. I always will. I need you in my life. I needed you in my life throughout school. I need you in my life now. I need you in my life forever on."

She heard his words. She was shocked. She was enveloped in the moment. She looked into his loving caring eyes. Something she hadn't seen since...since...she was dating that infernal man she was about to marry.

They leaned into each other. Their lips met in the most passionate kiss she'd had in her entire life. She was so drawn into the moment, she hadn't heard her almost-husband run upon the shore of the lake. He stared out at the scene before him. He watched this man raise his hands to his wife-to-be's face as her arms were lovingly draped around him. She was happy. Wasn't that what he wanted? Or was he being selfish by proposing to her? But...she was the one who said yes. Didn't that mean something? He watched as the two in the lake held each other with great compassion. No. It didn't. She thought this was what she wanted. She was naive. She now knew what she wanted. And she got it. He was holding her now. In a lake, none the less. How they got there was a mystery to him. And it'd stay that way. He looked down at the veil beside his feet. He delicately laid the wedding band he was about to place on her finger onto the beautiful white fabric.

"You always were better for her, Stern." He spoke out into the wind softly.


End file.
